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West Texas A&M quarterback Dustin Vaughan is 4-0 as a starter since taking over the role on Sept. 17.

CORPUS CHRISTI - West Texas A&M quarterback Dustin Vaughan admitted that Saturday night's win over Angelo State was not a thing of beauty.

The former Calallen standout struggled through his least productive game out of his four starts this season as he completed 12 of 30 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown in the 20th-ranked Buffaloes' 19-7 victory. But style points or not, Vaughan was happy with the victory.

"It wasn't as pretty as the last three we played, but it's a win," Vaughan said.

"It was a rough game on the offensive side of the ball. We didn't move the ball like we're used to moving it. We had trouble moving the ball, but it was a win and we're happy with it. We're going to move on from it."

The win moved West Texas A&M to 4-1 overall and kept the Buffaloes tied atop the Lone Star Conference standings with Midwestern State at 4-0. Abilene Christian is a half-game back at 3-0.

Vaughan also improved to 4-0 as West Texas A&M's starter since taking over the role in the Buffs' 42-21 LSC-opening win over Texas A&M-Kingsville on Sept. 17.

"We're excited about how he's been able to take the coaching and learn," West Texas A&M quarterbacks coach Stephen Lee said. "He's a mature guy and one of those who works hard and shows up everyday to go to work, and I think he's reaping the rewards of having that type of personality."

Vaughan, a sophomore, entered the preseason in a battle for the starting quarterback spot with junior Tanner Marsh. The two shared snaps in the Buffs' 26-24 season-opening loss to Colorado State-Pueblo before the coaching staff picked Vaughan as the team's full-time QB.

"We just had a gut feeling to go with Dustin," Lee said. "Their numbers were really close. There wasn't anything that separated him from the other guy other than there was a consensus among the coaching staff. So far, it's worked for us."

Vaughan threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns against the Javelinas and followed the next week with five touchdown passes and 335 yards through the air in a 52-7 rout of the University of the Incarnate Word.

"I felt the game against A&M-Kingsville was big in gaining the respect and trust of my teammates," Vaughan said. "We clicked all around as a team in that game.

"It helped for me to get that first win out of the way. It helped me realize that I could play the quarterback position like I'm supposed to. It also helped our team. Coming off that loss, we needed some momentum to go our way."

For the season, Vaughan has completed 105 of 167 passes (62.9 percent) for 1,387 yards and 11 touchdowns while throwing only three interceptions. He ranks third in the LSC in passing yards and total offense and has a quarterback efficiency rating of 150.8, which is tops among LSC signal callers with 100 or more pass attempts.

"I'm just glad to be in the position that I'm in," Vaughan said. "It's been an honor and a blessing. I'm just concentrating on my job. I wouldn't say I'm doing anything spectacular or out of the ordinary. I'm just going out there and trying to win games."

"He's grown a lot since last spring," Lee said. "He's a lot of fun to coach. He's making the right decisions when we ask him to throw the ball and he has the strong arm to make the throws we ask him to make. He's a very cerebral kind of guy. He can process things on the field and loves to study the game."

Vaughan said he no longer has to do deal with the pressure of proving himself to the coaches and his teammates. Now that he is firmly entrenched as the starter, he can now solely concentrate on just winning games.

"I don't feel as much pressure as I did at first," Vaughan said. "It was a lot more nerve-racking at the beginning of the season. I feel like they've given me the freedom to work the position the way I need to work it without being afraid that I will get my spot taken."

The Buffaloes take a big step toward an LSC title Saturday when they travel to face No. 10 Abilene Christian (4-1).

"We have the potential to do some great things," Vaughan said. "If we continue to go out and play with intensity and play as a team, I feel we can not only win the LSC, but also contend for the national championship. It all depends on how hard we work."